By Allison Welborn, Youth Corps Program Manager

Every summer, Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) offers over 150 youth the opportunity to serve in Virginia State Parks. These youth live in the parks for three weeks, make lifelong friendships, perform outstanding service work, and earn $500!

Applications and reference surveys are due by the rapidly approaching deadline of March 1, 2016.

2016 Program Dates:
Session One—Sunday, June 26, 2016 through Saturday, July 16, 2016
Session Two—Sunday, July 24, 2016 through Saturday, August 13, 2016

YCC is looking for youth, ages 14-17, to serve on a crew of ten (same-sex) crewmembers. The crew is led by three trained, adult crew leaders. Crewmember applicants should be willing to actively participate in all activities and are expected to work diligently to form one cohesive crew. Prior experience is not necessary; however, applicants should have an interest in working outdoors as the crew should expect to get sweaty and to perform laborious tasks in the heat of the summer.

The crew at Natural Bridge poses after creating a beautiful garden bed

The crew will work on various projects throughout the 35-40 hour workweeks such as trail maintenance, construction of new park facilities, and park beautification. Crews may work on removing a pesky invasive species, construct a new canoe launch, or create elements for a natural playground for children. Work can be difficult but it is appreciated greatly by the park visitors that reap the benefits of this hard work for years to come. Most past crewmembers agree, “The work was hard, but I had fun.” Crewmembers learn many skills from their experiences during the workday but there is plenty of time for fun activities!

At the end of the workday, crews will learn about the parks they are serving and the ways they can improve their habits at home during environmental education and conservation education activities hosted by the park’s interpretive staff and their crew leaders. The crew’s hard work during the week is rewarded through weekend extravaganzas to other nearby parks, trips to museums, and recreational activities including kayaking, hiking, and bouldering. Aside from the lessons learned during work projects and educational activities, YCC gives youth the opportunity to learn more about themselves and how they work with others.

The girls at Westmoreland State Park take a dip in the Potomac at Fossil Beach

When asked what the most important thing learned during YCC, one past crewmember stated that they learned, “… how to do tough work without having someone else do it for you,” while another crewmember expressed that, “In order to achieve goals in the workplace, it takes teamwork and understanding of every member of the crew.”  During these short three weeks, crews become a family and crewmembers gain a sense of independence while living away from home, completing their own chores (yes, you read that correctly), and being completely disconnected from technology (no, that is not a misprint - NO CELL PHONES PERMITTED).

While YCC offers many fun experiences and learning opportunities, crewmembers are expected to come prepared to work; it is NOT summer camp! A full list of crewmember expectations and responsibilities can be found online. A $500 stipend is awarded after the successful completion of the program. The crewmember is fully responsible for transportation to and from their assigned park. Once at the park, transportation, meals, and housing are provided. The crewmember position is available to youth in Virginia and from out-of-state. Each applicant must complete a series of questions, and provide two references (with email addresses) in the online application

Applications and reference surveys are due by the rapidly approaching deadline of March 1, 2016.

Click here to visit the website for application and more information